Boredom during the vacations?Using media time creatively
The use of digital media opens up numerous opportunities: People caninform themselves ,communicate with others and beentertained . We can also use media to express ourselves creatively and discover our own talents. This includes, for example, producing films, podcasts, radio plays or texts yourself. The active engagement creates positive media experiences and develops media skills.
Parents can discover creative media offerings together with their children. Taking photos, recording videos, recording radio plays - this is not only fun, but also creates discussion spaces for media use and offers added value for their own media experience. Media can be used at school to present ideas audiovisually. The creative use of images and sound can be approached in lessons and on project days. Children and young people learn about the workings of media and at the same time learn how to use media production for their own purposes.
Note for parents: Make sure that the devices your children are working on are set up safely. You can find step-by-step instructions for this at www.medien-kindersicher.de.
Creative with media - offers for children and young people
JFF - Institute for Media Education
On the JFF's children's page you will find lots of child-friendly instructions and explanatory videos for creating your own media projects. The instructions can also be filtered according to different age categories (from three, from six and from nine years). So you can find the right offer for every age group. It is also worth browsing the website further. Here you will find lots of tips for parents and other ideas for creative media use.
Medienbox NRW: The toolbox for your topic in image and sound
With the Medienbox NRW , young people and all citizens can learn basic media production techniques. Whether for a school project or for leisure - the Medienbox NRW offers free, interactive learning opportunities and teaches the basics of producing audio and audiovisual content.
knipsclub
knipsclub is a photo platform for children between the ages of eight and twelve to share and learn in a protected environment. At www.knipsclub.de, children can upload and view pictures. There are also lots of tips and tricks to discover on the subject of photography. The knipsclub informs children about photography and safe online behavior through animations, video clips and hands-on activities. knipsi, the mascot of the knipsclub, explains even difficult topics in a simple and child-friendly way.
AUDITORIX
The project "AUDITORIX - Hören mit Qualität" (AUDITORIX - listening with quality) is committed to targeted auditory education and listening support for children. There are many different offers on the website in the "Do it yourself" section. Among other things, under the heading "We're making a radio play" you will find a checklist for the process and distribution of tasks and templates for a manuscript. If you don't want to write your own story, you can also use one of the freely available radio play scripts.
Scratch
Scratch is a programming language and online community that allows children to create and share interactive stories, games and animations. Scratch is designed for young people aged eight to 16. For younger children aged five to seven, there is a simplified version of Scratch called ScratchJr at . Young people learn creativity, logical thinking and teamwork by creating and sharing Scratch projects. For newcomers, Scratch also offers a tutorial and many instructions for an easy start.
Spinxx
The SPINXX project offers 12 to 17-year-olds a platform for actively and critically engaging with films. Young people do not have to be a member of one of the editorial teams to participate on www.spinxx.de. There is also the option of writing a guest review of a film, which is published online after being checked by the editorial team. How a film review is structured and what is important for a competent film review is summarized in the section "How to ...".
Competitions for children and young people
There are many different competitions in Germany where children and young people can submit their media productions. We have compiled a small selection here. Please note that the closing date for some competitions has already passed. There is usually a new call for entries a few months later.
Only nationwide competitions for children are listed here. However, there are also many regional competitions and activities. A search engine query with the words "Medienwettbewerb Kinder" and your federal state, region or city will show you whether there are any good offers in your area.